The invention relates generally to a general physical conditioning or a physical rehabilitation device. More particularly, the invention relates to an exercise device for aquatic exercises which provides resistance to a user in an aquatic environment, thereby enabling a user to more efficiently strengthen or rehabilitate muscles while performing aquatic exercises, and to a method of use for such a device.
An aquatic exercising device provides resistance against which the user exerts force during exercising while in an aquatic environment such as a swimming pool or other body of water. Aquatic exercises have increased in popularity because water exercises increase heart rate and oxygen uptake and improve muscle tone without the shock of exercising/impacting on a hard surface.
In the past, there have been pool toys such as those typically called “water noodles” which have some degree of buoyancy in water and thus allow a swimmer to support his or her body weight by laying across the pool toy, for example with the pool toy held under the arms of the swimmer. The “water noodle” is typically a highly flexible cylindrical tube 3 to 4 inches in diameter and 3 to 6 feet in length, typically made of an open or closed cell foam with a hollow interior. Thus, it is an elongated, highly flexible device which tends to bend about the swimmer's body or to bend into a “U” shape when it is used for buoyancy or aquatic activity. Due to the flexibility of the “water noodle,” it is not possible for the it to provide a sufficient resistance to achieve the improved benefits in aquatic exercise provided by the present invention.
An additional problem with many other exercise devices is their complicated designs, which are therefore expensive to manufacture. The present device is made from readily available materials and is inexpensive and is easy to manufacture.
Many other exercise devices are not properly designed to be used in an aquatic environment or as aquatic exercise tools. That is, many other exercise devices lack sufficient buoyancy to be used in an aquatic environment, are too hydrodynamic to provide resistance in an aquatic environment, are too flexible to provide sufficient resistance or stabilization for aquatic exercise, and/or are susceptible to deterioration from harsh pool chemicals or prolonged exposure to water.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that what is needed in the art is a versatile exercising device which is specifically adapted for aquatic use, one that flexes, but is rigid enough to provide sufficient resistance and stabilization when used for aquatic exercises.